Time for updated Mercedes GLE SUV to touch down in India; launch date revealed

Mercedes-Benz on Tuesday announced it will launch the updated GLE SUV in the market here on November 2. The company also said it will drive out the AMG C 43 on the same date, continuing with its focus on a product offensive in the Indian luxury and performance car space. The ongoing calendar year has seen Mercedes-Benz India drive out a number of top-end vehicles (TEVs) even as it has continued to double down on its SUV lineup.

All eyes would be squarely placed on the 2023 Mercedes GLE as it gets ready for Indian buyers. The GLC was updated recently and the company claims it has received a strong response for it. And it is the same degree of strong response that the Germans are confident of getting for the GLE as well.

In the product pyramid, the GLE sits above the GLC and below the top-of-the-line GLS. The updated GLE SUV was showcased to the world in February and is essentially a facelift version. The changes on the latest version include a reworked bumper on the front, changes to the LED headlight, updated tail lights and a new set of alloys.

In the cabin, the GLE now borrows its steering wheel from the S-Class while potential buyers can also look forward to new colour and trim combinations. The MBUX system has been upgraded while there is an optional off-road package available.

In the global market, the GLE is offered with petrol, diesel and hybrid engine options. The 48V integrated starter-generator (ISG) is fast becoming a common feature addition and the India-bound GLE is certain to get this for enhanced mileage and lower tailpipe emission. What is almost certainly not coming home, however, is the plug-in hybrid version of the GLE. Not yet anyway.

Mercedes had promised as many as 10 model launches in India in 2023 and is now looking to close the calender year with a bang. The company delivered 12,768 new cars in India in the first nine months of 2023, an 11 per cent YTD growth.